Did you know that hundreds of hippies lived in Ibiza? Its history dates back to the 60s and some of them still live in the White Island.
Hippies usually lead a bohemian life style, somewhat marginal and nonconformist, always in tune and respect for nature. They’ve been for over 50 years on the island and they have become one of its particular features. I will tell you their history.
The arrival of the first hippies to Ibiza
The first hippies came to the island in the 30s but quickly fled with the outbreak of the Spanish civil war. Then in the 50s and 60s, many young hippies from around the world returned and settled on the island, trying to escape the political and economic situation in their countries of origin in search of an alternative society with more freedom of thought. So, Ibiza became a place with a San Francisco flair, full of “long-haired” artists and writers.
They fell in love with the island, its climate, its peacefulness and energy. They used to live in communes or in secluded country houses, well away from the city. They were easily integrated in the island and came to mingle with peasants dwellers. Ibiza was, at that time, everything they were looking for: a cosmopolitan society and, above all, a place where they felt free to live as they pleased, on an island where there was still no tourism.
Hippies in Ibiza today
With the arrival of tourism, and therefore the change of scenery and atmosphere on the White Island, the hippie spirit has become diluted over the years but you can still find some corners full of its magic
• Benirrás. Every Sunday with the sunset, dozens of hippies gather to play drums, accompanied by fire shows and dances, as the sun sinks into the sea. An essential experience for any tourist, but also for the locals.
• Hippy Market at Es Canar. The biggest of the island with hundreds of stalls where artisans and artists sell their works. Moreover, the environment, the music, the atmosphere and the place itself is very peculiar, so it has become very busy throughout the summer season. It is open every Wednesday from April to October.
• Besides the market of Es Canar, on weekends you can also go to the markets of the Dalias, Sant Jordi or Cala Llenya. They sell hand made crafts and also items of any type, both new and second hand.
• You can also find smaller markets at other places, worth mentioning are those on sites with a special energy such as Atlantis, Punta Galera or Cala d’Hort, magical enclaves and place of worship for many hippies.
As you can see, the hippy spirit is still very much alive in Ibiza, and especially its philosophy, which has given its character to Ibiza: Don’t worry, be hippy!